The Masterpiece
by Sharindria
Summary: The guys meet their match in the guise of a mysterious figure who steals high profile technology.  Jokes, pizza, and chaos ensues.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer-I invented the story, not the characters.

**It Begins-A Thief in the Night**

The guardian at the gate watched, but saw nothing, and was not supposed to. When the figure moved, there was a slight curve of shadow. When it stopped, it disappeared.

It progressed through the hallway, weaving in and out of doors. The hinges never creaked, the handles never rattled. The figure made its way deeper into the blackness, sure of its purpose, as if guided by an unseen hand.

Suddenly it stopped. It raised a hand gloved in gray, and in an almost gentle fashion, ran its fingertips down the silver door frame. A small metal sliver was produced from an invisible pocket. The lock was softly and swiftly made redundant.

The door slid open and the figure paused to take in the room. This was clearly a room of discovery, of science and mathematics. Even when the brilliant minds were gone, the computers continued to compute. Pinpricks of light illuminated the figure. Azure eyes blazed as they found the object of desire. The gloved hand reached out and curled its fingers around a small sphere that hummed and throbbed with light. The sphere was lifted delicately from its pedestal, and the figured halted on the way out to relock the door.

Darkness rippled like water as the figure made its way up the staircase. On the fifth floor it found an unlocked window. Silently the window opened and the figure stepped out onto the ledge. The window closed, and the figure let out a sigh that was carried away by the wind. It was the first sound the figure had made all night.

**Sciencey Stuff**

"...are still investigating the disappearance of the last invention of the acclaimed scientist Dr. Ingmar Clutch." The red head on the television smirked slightly. "No doubt police chief Sterns is doing everything in his power to get to the bottom of this mystery." She smiled sweetly. "Back to you Vernon."

The screen cut to a man with a not-at-all-amused look on his face. "Thank you. That was our, erm, _favorite_ freelance reporter April O'Neil."

The turtle sitting cross-legged on the living room rug spoke. "Turn it off, Casey. April's story is over and watching Vernon is definitely not what I'd call entertainment."

"I dunno, Leo," hollered a voice from the kitchen. "If his voice was as mondo weirdo as his face, he'd make a totally funny clown."

"He's already a clown. And it's always hilarious when he starts prodding his hairline to see if it's receded any further," quipped the turtle with a laptop sitting on the couch by his side.

"He makes my fists itch," the guy holding the remote growled. "When I think of all the grief he gave April..."

"Casey, cool it," the computer wielding turtle said in a low, soothing voice. "Now that she's a freelance reporter, he can't do anything to threaten her job."

"Plus she's got her computer and science skills to back her up, and now she's got her archaeology studies too," said the turtle on the rug in the same soothing tone. "And the girl can fly a helicopter. She's got nothing to worry about."

"I know, I know," said the guy, throwing the remote into the air and catching it. "I don't really worry about her. My girl always lands on her feet. And stop using the psychiatrist voice. It don't work on Raph, and it ain't gonna work on me."

"Poor dude," said the turtle emerging from the kitchen. "The sensai's really coming down on him hard."

Before the turtle on the rug could reply, the one on the couch said, "That smells great Mikey! What's the combo this time?"

The turtle known as Mikey set his creation down on the coffee table and lifted a hand with the air of a connoisseur. "Handa tosseda crust, witha slightlee spicee saucea. Musharooms, greena peppers, onions, a leetle bit of bacon, and mya secret, cilantro. Chowa downa, dudes!"

The was a general dive for the pizza.

"Ah, pizza the way it was meant to be," said Casey. "No napkins, no plates, just...pizza. I mean, I know April likes things neat, but there's gotta be a limit, ya know?"

"We know," chorused the three turtles.

The rug turtle looked at Casey. "Master Splinter says communication is the key to a fruitful relationship."

Casey glowered. "Have you guys been letting him watch Oprah again?"

"Seriously, Case," said the turtle with the laptop, "haven't you reached the point where you can just tell her what's on your mind?"

"Don, we are here today because I invited you over to watch the new Die Hard with me. I appreciate the complimentary therapy session, but I really don't need it right now, aight? Let's just watch Bruce Willis blow stuff up and eat this pizza before it gets cold."

Mikey jumped up, and put the movie in the player, then paused thoughtfully. "Hey Donny, you know anything about the growy thingy that was stolen?"

Donny's face clouded. "The maturity intensifier, according to _GQ_, that's _Genius Quarterly_, augments the growth tendencies of living organisms using varying frequencies of sound and light. With the aid of the right chemicals, plants effloresce faster, since cell development is amplified."

"Ummm, and what does that mean in non-dorkanese?" asked Mikey.

There was a long sigh. "It means, little brother, that it makes stuff grow faster. The uses of the device are endless. Faster growing crops means more food for famine-stricken countries. Faster development of cloned organs means more people who need transplants can get them."

"Heh. No wonder it was stolen." Casey commented.

"No, no. There's no point in stealing it, it's too notorious," Donny shook his head. "It's like a famous painting. Everyone would know it was stolen, so no one would dare to buy it. Besides, no one knows how to use it."

Leo stood up from the rug in one smooth motion. "This marvelous thing, and no one knows how to use it? What? Why?"

"The doctor who created it was a little...unhinged toward the end of his life."

"Most of them guys are," said Casey, "No offense, mighty boy genius."

"None taken, you hockey puck. Anyway, he got really paranoid and was constantly worried about his discoveries being stolen and falling into the wrong hands."

"Considering how many inventions we've seen falling into the wrong hands, a little paranoia is understandable," said Leo.

"True. But Dr. Clutch stopped trusting everyone. He never wrote anything down. All his computations, blueprints, instructions, and everything were kept in his head. He never explained how to make or use the maturity intensifier. He made it, then he died. The only reason we know what it does at all is because they found the results of his testing in his lab after his death."

There was a pause.

Casey took a deep breath. "Okay, Don, I'll bite. What kinds of results?"

"Nothing spectacular. One side of the lab had tomato plants and mice that, according to the labels on them, had been exposed to the device. The other half had plants and mice that hadn't. The first set of plants and mice were more developed, even though all the plants were the same age, and all the mice were the same age. But that's the thing about the device. It doesn't make anything grow that wouldn't normally. It just amplifies normal growth. The building the maturity intensifier was in was a government research facility. I guess they were trying to figure out how to make it work."

Leo raised his hand to his chin. "So whoever stole it can't use it or sell it. So why steal it?" His train of thought was interrupted by snoring.

Mikey had sprawled out on the floor and was now twitching in his sleep. Donny climbed off the couch, crept around the sleeping turtle, and pulled one of the speakers close to his head. He gave Casey the thumbs up. Muffling a laugh, Casey turned the volume all the way up and pushed play.

The screams of one teenage mutant ninja turtle could be heard halfway across the city.

**Time for Some Wisdom**

"Be aware of the pattern of your breath. Breathe in the calm around you and hold it within yourself. Let go with a slow and smooth breath out. Quiet your mind and..."

"Come on Master Splinter! You know this inner peace stuff has never been my thing. And we've been doin' nothing but breathing in and out for two hours!"

The wise, furry face sitting opposite the turtle opened eyes that were clear and steady as they gazed upon their brash student. The student looked down sheepishly and muttered something that sounded like an apology. He straightened and closed his eyes. "Ummmmmm...rummmmm...bummmmmmm..."

The master smiled slightly at the impertinence of his student. Raphael had always been the one who's energy was most difficult to contain. "All right. You may stop."

"Master, I'm...you know what. It's just that I hate sitting around doing nothing. It's useless."

"Sitting doing nothing, and being in a state of contemplative nonaction are two different things."

"Yeah, I know they're supposed to be different. But they feel the same to me."

"The key to the way of the ninja is the skillful use of your ki. It is the universal energy within us all. The only way to master it is by uniting your mind with your body. Meditation is vital to this unity, my student."

"I just wish it wasn't so boring," said the turtle under his breath.

The sensai stopped, putting his staff to Raphael's chest. "Your movements are full of earth and fire. They are strong and solid, lashing out like flames from your emotions. You must learn to use the air and water within yourself as well, so you may move with more fluidity, speed, and stealth. You must find balance."

Raphael's shoulders dropped. "I know, you've told me. I just don't understand how I'm supposed to find this legendary balance."

Master Splinter lowered his staff and put a hand on his son's arm. "You put all of your heart into everything you do. You must learn to let some things go."

"This is about the other day, isn't it?"

"My son, will you never learn that you can not save everyone?"

"Leo and Don and Mikey managed to get everyone out of that fire without my help. You're sayin' I should have let those punks mug that old man? He was helpless!"

"Do you think you did the right thing?"

"I'm not sure, now." The turtle lowered his head. "But I do think Leo's wrong with all his babble about the greater good of the city. I know it makes sense saving twenty lives compared to just one. But I can't..._believe_ in that, ya know? You taught us all life is precious. Then doesn't that mean that all of it is worth saving? You can't just pick and choose which lives you can save and which you can't. I know I can't save everybody. But I have to try. If I don't stop the criminals of the city, no one else is going to."

"You are letting your anger against injustice consume you, Raphael. Defending and protecting those unable to defend and protect themselves will always be a part of your nature. But do not let it become the whole of your nature. Doing so will turn you into nothing but a being of vengeance. It is a sad kind of creature who defines itself by its anger." The sensai paused. "I think you need to get more fun out of life."

"Fun? The crime rate is higher than ever and you think I should be having fun?"

The teacher's ears lowered, and he smiled at his hot tempered son. "I can not begin to tell you how proud I am that you have devoted yourself to others, and have such respect for all life. But you must respect your own life as well, which means you must try to enjoy it."

"Does that mean I get to go watch Die Hard with Casey and the guys?"

The furry master of all things ninja closed his eyes and sighed. "Yes, my son. We are done for today."

Without a second's hesitation, Raphael threw on his overcoat, jumped over the couch, and raced out the door.

Splinter made his way to the kitchen to put his teapot to boil. He laughed lightly, "Kids."

**Meanwhile...**

"...so ummm..then the...wait, let me start over..."

"Leo," Mikey's voice cut in. "you are a ninja master and a great brother, but you couldn't tell a joke to save your life from a herd of angry pygmies."

"Why is a herd of angry pygmies attacking Leo?" asked Donny.

"He stole their sacred cookie."

"Why'd he do that?"

"He had the munchies."

"And now he's got pygmies after him. Poor guy."

"And the only way to stop the little dudes is to get them laughing."

"Of course," Donatello nodded sagely. "Everyone knows that's how you defeat pygmies."

"I'm really going to miss Leo. He was a good guy."

The object of mockery groaned. "Will you never stop?"

Mikey grinned at him. "Probably not."

"Definitely not," said Donny.

Casey was trying not to fall off the couch laughing.

There was a thud on the fire escape. "Don't get excited, " a voice called in, "it's just me."

"Can I get excited anyway?" said Mikey as Raph climbed in the window.

"Shut up, Mikey," said Raph, punching his little brother lightly on the arm. "What'd I miss?"

"It was awesome," said Casey.

"Totally sweet."

"Crazy good."

"Electric Mayhem."

They all turned to Donny and gave him a look.

He shrugged. "What?"

"Don, that's the name of the band on the Muppet Show," said Casey.

"So?"

Mikey put his head in his hands, "You're killing me, dude."

Raph slumped into the recliner. "Anyway, you up for watching it again?"

"Sure," said Casey. "This time, with commentary. Want some pizza? There might be some left."

"No way, amigo." Mikey burped. "It is most definitely gone."

"It's aight, I wasn't hungry anyway. Three hours of meditation kills your appetite."

Just as Leonardo was about to reply, Donny jumped up and yawned loudly as he stretched. "Push play, Case," he said. "We haven't got all night."

"Yes, we should start training before ten," said Leo as the others rolled their eyes. "Want to join us, Casey?"

"Sorry, no can do. April and me are going to spend some quality time together when she gets home."

"Awww. How adorable. I can hear the whip cracking now," Mikey chimed in.

"Leo, we've had a long day," said Donny. "Can't we just train extra hard tomorrow?" He glanced at Raphael, who was struggling to keep his face neutral.

"We have to keep on the top of our game," Leo replied. "And that means training even if we don't feel like it."

"Will you guys pipe down?" said Raph. "I hate it when people talk during movies." 


	2. Chapter 2

**Training Night**

"So what deviously conceived training plan do you have in mind this evening, Leo?" asked Donny. "We're high on the city rooftops in the middle of the night. More weapons combat?"

"I only have one thing to say, guys," said Leo. He grinned and tapped Don on the shoulder. "Tag, you're it."

He was off, a dark green blur fading into the night.

"Jeez, guys, do you believe that?" muttered Don. "Guys?"

The other two turtles were nowhere to be seen.

"Well, if that's how they want to play," he flipped open a device that looked vaguely like a cell phone with a shell on it. "Don't they remember I can track them by their communicators?" He looked at the blue dot that was Leonardo. "Brains beat brawn, every time." He lifted his bo and vaulted over the rooftops, heading after the blue dot on the screen.

"Pssst, Raph."

"What, Mikey? I kinda busy running right now."

"Did you remember to stash your communicator?

Raphael stopped. "What?"

"Your TurtleCom. Don can trace it."

The turtle looked dumfounded, and then narrowed his eyes at his little brother.

"What?" Mikey shrugged. "That's how Donny thinks. Brain over brawn." A grin crossed his face. "And you can bet Leo wouldn't think of that."

Raph grinned back. "Mikey, sometimes you surprise me."

"I know. We should get running, though, dude. It'd be embarrassing to get caught just standing here. Hopefully you can keep up with me."

"Yeah...wait, what?"

Mikey took off running, leaping effortlessly from rooftop to rooftop, blending into the darkness. Raph shook his head and followed.

Meanwhile, Donny was slowly but surely closing in. Leo had fled toward the center of the city, so Don had hitched a ride on top of a bus and was now cutting him off. "Let's see," he said to himself, "if I were Leo, I would be cutting through the alleys to minimize my chance of exposure, and changing direction as often as possible. So if he's here...and headed this way..." the turtle traced his brother's path with a finger, "there's a ninety three percent probability, he'll end up...here. It's the perfect place to stop and rest, no one but a genius would think to find him there." He smiled to himself as he gazed at the point on his map. "Good thing I'm a genius." Bo raised, the turtle silently made his way toward his goal.

"Hey dude, did you see that? It looked like a giant turtle on top of that bus!"

The young man looked down the street and shook his head. "You need to get more sleep at night, man."

Leo darted from shadow to shadow, his motions smooth and fluid. No way were his brothers going to catch up with him, although he knew that they'd try. With astonishing feats of agility he climbed fire escapes, swung from streetlights, and paused motionless in the protection of the blackness the buildings and towers cast. He bounded to the deeper and lower parts of the city, dropping down into an alleyway where a bus drove by. He headed south, then west. In the distance, the lights of one particular building shone bright. He headed down Broadway toward 44th street, moving like a thief in the night. He stopped in front of the building, blending in perfectly with the surroundings. He was just another display here at the toy store. A stop for a breath was all he needed, then he would move out of the center of the city, and...

There was a brush against his arm, and a voice rang out, "Tag. You're it."

He hung his head dejectedly. "Ah, darn."

He heard Donny's familiar laughter when another voice cut through the dark. "April, calling the turtles. Come _on_ you guys!"

Leo pulled out his TurtleCom as Donny came back and looked over his shoulder. "What's up April?"

"Guys, you have to get over to the Zarnov chemical storage building west of the city! There's been another break-in. No one's seen the thief, but they suspect he's still close by!"

"We're on our way right now," said Leo. "Don, can you get ahold of Raph and Mikey?"

"No, they must have turned their communicators off. I'm texting them a message right now."

"Then it's up to us, then. Let's go."


	3. Chapter 3

**To Fight a Thief**

The figure had paused behind a vat, out of the range of the security cameras. This was not part of the plan. What had made the guards come and check around the building at this moment? They never had before, on the nights the figure had patiently sat and observed. It breathed slowly and steadily, trying to stop its heart from racing. It's mind flashed back to another time and place. It was running, in a maze. The maze could change at any time, and it had to keep running, running. If it stopped, it would be jabbed with an electrical prod. Or worse. So it ran and ran, ran till its lungs burned...

The figure shook its head, warding off the oppressive memory. "I have gone from that world," it thought. "I am free." The figure went stiller as it sensed a presence, no, two, approaching. It took one last, deep breath, and silently raced down the corridor, tucking the fruits of its labor into the pocket of its cloak. It was strange how the entities seemed to be catching up with it, as if chasing it. This laboratory didn't have the kind of security trained to deal with the likes of the figure. But still, they gained. It rounded a corner into the stairwell and hurried down to the second floor. Now there was only one presence following, and the other...

"Stealing does happen to be against the law, you know," a voice came softly from the darkness in front of the figure. "The things you're taking are important to a lot of people. So, give whatever you stole back, and I'll be lenient."

The figure stared at the entity for a moment. What the...it was a turtle. A giant turtle. With a blue mask across its face, and two ninjaken strapped across its back. And it was giving the figure a lecture. And it would be _lenient_. Ha. The figure threw back its shoulders, and Leonardo could feel it glaring at him underneath its hood. "Fine. I don't want to hurt you, but I can't let you take the..."

"Metabolic reaction enhancing chemical compounds." said another voice behind the figure. It half turned and saw another giant turtle, this one in violet and wielding a bo.

"The what?" the one in blue asked.

The one in violet took a breath. "It's a little like a liquid super vitamin."

"So it's like that...maturity enhancifier."

"Intensifier."

The figure was using this time to make its way down the stairwell, when the turtle in blue leapt to block its path. "I told you, you're not getting out of this building. Your criminal efforts stop here."

The figure knocked him to the ground with a reverse roundhouse kick to the head and fled down the stairs.

"I think our thief is channeling Chuck Norris, Leo," said Donny.

Leonardo snapped to his feet. "Come on, let's go after it."

They raced down the stairs, where the figure was standing at the bottom. It raised its arms above its head and did a handspring backwards, then stood there, as if mocking them.

"Don't think we're going to fall for that," Leo scolded the figure as his eyes scanned the floor in front of them. "It's very hard to trap either of us."

Donny brought his bo down on a disk innocuously placed at the foot of the stairs. There was the sound of wires shorting out. "Coast is clear."

"Since you're not going to come quietly..." Leo slid his ninjaken off his back, "I guess we're going to do this the hard way." He rushed toward the figure while Don slid to block the elevator.

The figure dodged Leo's blows, feinting right and bringing its knee up and forward into his chest. He staggered only slightly backwards and leaned forward quickly, bringing a sideways blow to the figure's ribs. Before he could use his weapons, the figure brought the ball of its foot to his shin with a force that made his eyes want to water. It turned and grabbed him by the wrist, throwing him against the elevator with considerable strength. The doors opened, and the figure crouched low and went straight for Donny. It grasped the surprised turtle by his shoulders and pushed him into the elevator. The doors closed, and the figure grabbed Leo's wrist, and fast as lightning, thrust one of his swords into the elevator controls, trapping Donny inside.

Before Leo could speak, the figure sprang back and pinned his arm to the wall, wresting the other sword out of his grasp, sending it skittering across the floor. Leo could hear Donny working to get the elevator open again. He used the palm of his free hand to deliver a bone shattering hit to the figure's shoulder, sending it gasping against the stair rail. It ran back up the stairs toward a large room with vats of chemicals slowly being stirred by massive metal paddles underneath their protective grating. Leo followed in hot pursuit when a blow came down just below the base of his neck, and he crumbled to the floor. "Strange," he thought as he went down, "that didn't even hurt..."


	4. Chapter 4

**Jumping Around**

"Mikey! Get over here now!" Raphael commanded in a shout, three buildings away from his easy going sibling.

"One of these days, nobody's going to give me an order," the other turtle laughed to himself, "and then the planet will totally crash into the sun." He darted over ledges and railings, coming to a sudden stop in front of his brother, nearly crashing into him. "What's up?"

"Don left me a message," said Raph, gesturing with his TurtleCom. "They mighta tracked down that thief that stole the techno gadget, and Leo and him are going after the guy. We better get there before the fight's over."

"Roger that, dude," said Mikey as he broke into a run.

"Hey Mike!" Raph yelled after him.

"What?"

"You're going the wrong way."

"Oh."

Together, the two sprinted across the city to reach their brothers, both sure they weren't going to make it in time to see the action. Raphael ran with purpose, bounding over obstacles, his feet pounding the gravel on the rooftops. Michelangelo barely grazed the rocky surfaces, and he moved lightly as they made their way to the laboratory, where Leo and Don were having issues...

"Leo? Is that you?" Donny asked hesitantly when a loud thud penetrated the elevator. The response was a low, muffled groan. "Uhhh, I'll take that as a yes," he said. "Don't worry, I'm can definitely get this thing open, I just hope I can do it before security gets here." He made a face and pulled out another wire. "I wish they still made elevators that you could just force open or go out the top, but _no_, they've got to be all safety conscious now..."

"Donatello?" Leo's muffled voice gasped.

Donny started and he pressed his head against the door, "What is it?"

"Hurry..."

"I'm trying. What did that thief do to you?"

"I'm not sure, but I think I'm in some sort of box..."

Meanwhile, the thief in question had fled to the lower level of the building, where exposure potential was at a minimum. It needed to find an exit, and it needed to find one now. It worked its way around the cabinets and boxes that were piled to the ceiling. Though its movements were still like wind on the water, more graceful than a dancer's, it seemed tired. It slowly glided through the black, searching...

"...searching for the guys is up to you, Mikey. Don would call if they'da caught that thief, so they must still be in the building somewhere. You go after them, and I'm going after the perp."

Before Mikey could protest, point out that they should stick together, or make a joke about Raph using the word "perp", his brother was off. He shook his head slightly, and just as Donny had done earlier that night, he flipped open his TurtleCom and searched for a blue dot on his screen. He slide down the stair rail, tracking the signal. He hoped Raph could find the thief.

In fact, as Raph rushed down the stairs to the basement, the thief found him. And kicked him hard in the shell, sending him flying toward a row of dusty filing cabinets. He recovered before he crashed into them, and he rampaged toward the figure, who was wondering where all these giant turtles kept coming from. It was unable to go on wondering, however, because it had to concentrate on avoiding Raphael's attacks. The sheer ferocity of the turtle's onslaught forced the figure into a defensive stance, blocking up, down, and up again.

Sensing an opening, Raph flipped behind the thief and side kicked it in the lower back, forcing it to its knees. As he brought his fist down, it rolled to the left, and with a smooth motion, it crouched and kicked Raphael's feet out from under him. It straightened and started to back away slowly. "No way are you getting off that easy," growled the turtle as he stood up. He pulled his twin sai from his belt and bolted toward the figure. It dodged his left blow, and his right, then leaned down and brought its elbow into his stomach. He lurched back and swung his weapon toward its shoulder, but his wrist was grabbed and twisted, forcing him to bend over. A foot came up and kicked him in the face, then the figure spun and brought its other foot down on the back of his head.

He slammed onto the concrete, and a plan occurred to him. He closed his eyes and the figure knelt down at his side. "Yeah, that's right, buddy," he thought. "Go ahead and try to give me a finishing blow, and I'll pop up and probably scare the crap out of you." The figure leaned forward..."Come on, just a little closer,"...and lay two fingers gently on his neck, right beside his throat. Puzzled, Raphael cracked open one eye and saw the figure staring off into space, head tilted slightly, like it was trying to gauge something. "What the hell...I think he's taking my pulse..." The figure turned to look at him, and he shut his eyes quickly. The fingers were tender as they slid off his neck. He could sense it rise and turn, and when it did, he brought his sai down on its cloak. There was a ripping sound and a high-pitched gasp, and the thief crashed to the floor.

He stood and stared. The figure had landed in a little pool of light let in by a low window. The moonlight revealed dark green skin, a long lizard tail, and a body that was almost defiantly female. The girl pushed herself away from the ground and glared at him with long lashed azure eyes that blazed sapphire in the moonlight. She had a face like his, except a little more compact, and hers was framed by flowing ash-brown hair.

"Well," she said in a low voice that throbbed like a bell,"I hope you're satisfied with yourself."


End file.
